The Gilbert Family
by Sorrywhatnow
Summary: Damon and Elena are in love, Jeremy is alive and it's summer time. Elena is ready to truly begin life as a vampire and what better way to do so than with the two men in her life? The trio head to the Gilbert lake house for a few days of shenanigans and ghostly encounters. Damon x Elena (some Bonnie x Jeremy)
1. Prologue

Damon tried to ignore the weight pressing down upon him. He raised his glass in salute, knowing that his friend would see, knowing that Ric would smile. He took a swig and turned away, not wanting to look too long at the place where Ric had just stood. His gaze fell on the fireplace and he shook his head in wonder and disbelief. He could still hear Elena's voice. He could still hear those words. He could feel her hands in his hair and her lips on his lips.

_I love you, Damon._

He shivered. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to cry.

_I love you, Damon_.

Could it be some trick? The last time he had allowed himself to believe she might choose him, he had been wrenched out of his paradise and he had landed hard. But this time, Elena was herself. This time, Stefan had bowed out. Damon felt a twinge of guilt at that thought. But nothing could truly halt his happiness, not Ric fading away or Stefan leaving. He stood in front of the fire, in the same spot that they had stood entwined and he smiled.

She appeared, moving like a whisper. He felt her before he heard her. He always knew when she was near. He wondered if she felt it too, the heightened sense of anticipation whenever they were near. Whether they were happy or angry, whether they hated each other or loved each other, that anticipation was always there. He looked towards her, breathless before their eyes had even met.

He knew instantly that something was wrong. His first thought was that it had all been a trick and that she had come to dash his new dreams. That thought stabbed his chest and made him cold. But he knew her expression. Her eyes were wide orbs as they pleaded with him. It was a look of absolute trust in his ability to help her. He placed his glass down.

'What's wrong?'

Elena swallowed, closing the distance between them. She placed her hand on his arm. She looked up into his eyes. 'I gave Katherine the cure.'

'You _what_?'

'She was trying to kill me. She would have killed me if I…'

Panic set in, even though she was stood before him. Even though she was okay. He could not stop the bolt of fear that tore through him at the thought that she might have been gone, that the light of her life might have been put out. He placed his hands on her face and her eyes fluttered closed.

'You okay?'

She smiled, but when she opened her eyes again there were tears in them. 'Yes, but…the veil is closed, isn't it?'

_Don't screw it up_.

Damon nodded.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut. She sank into him, pressing her face against his chest. 'I didn't find Jeremy,' she choked, 'I didn't get to say goodbye.'

For once, Damon did not know what to say. Elena's grief when she had lost Jeremy the first time was burned into his memory and his heart ached for her as she cried into his shirt. But her grief was different this time. She clung to him, she needed Damon, but she was not broken. Having Jeremy beside her again for one day had helped heal her. Damon wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. She would be okay this time.

'Elena?'

Damon and Elena both stiffened. Elena pulled back slowly, looking at Damon first before daring to look towards the doorway. Damon's eyes narrowed. Jeremy was standing before them, his smile wide and his form suspiciously corporeal. But that was not possible. Elena sucked in a sharp breath.

'Jeremy?'

He nodded. His smile widened. He stepped further into the room. Damon stared at him. The hope building in his own chest was magnified on Elena's face. Elena stared at her brother. She could do nothing else.

'How is this possible?' Damon asked, knowing that she could not speak.

There were tears in Jeremy's eyes. 'Bonnie…it was Bonnie.' His face crumpled. He looked like a little boy and that was all Elena needed. She flung herself at him, a howl of pure joy echoing around her. Damon watched the two of them, his own eyes glistening. He felt like he was floating. He felt like he must have died, for life could not be this kind, not this perfect.

Then Jeremy looked at him over his sister's shoulder. 'So, are you two a thing now?'

Elena pulled back. Her face was coated with tears. Her knuckles were white for she was holding onto her brother with all of her strength. But she smiled at Damon and her eyes were bright with love and with joy. Damon thought that she had never looked so beautiful.

She held out her hand to him. Jeremy smiled.

'Yes,' she said, 'we are.'


	2. Chapter 1 - The Morning After

Elena opened her eyes and she smiled.

Sunlight gleamed through the gap in the thick curtains, spilling across the large bed and warming her skin. She stretched, arching her back off the soft sheets. She rolled over, comfortable and content, and her smile stretched wider.

Damon was beside her. His lips were slightly parted as he slept. His hair was a delightful mess. His head had dropped off his pillow and onto hers. The bed was large enough for five people, yet he was inches away, his hand stretched towards her. She snuggled closer to him and his arm moved, curling around her reflexively. She could hardly believe that this was happening, that they were together, but it completed her. She had never felt so light and so free. So happy.

His eyelashes flickered and Elena dipped her head towards him and kissed his nose.

'Wake up, sleepyhead,' she whispered.

His eyes opened, their beautiful blue brighter than ever. He blinked a couple of times. His fingers ran along her bare waist until they reached the lace band of her underwear. He stared at her with all of his love.

'Is this real?'

Elena placed her hand on his cheek. He reached his hand up to hold it there. 'What do you think?'

He frowned. He looked so unsure of himself that Elena's heart bled for him. But she did not stop smiling because she knew that it had all been true. She was not plagued by the same doubts that he was.

His eyes dropped away from hers. 'I don't know...'

Elena laughed. 'You seemed to know last night.'

'Yeah well, you can't expect me to hear you say that you love me and act rationally. Plus, Jeremy came back to life. I figured it might just have been a night of miracles.'

'Damon,' she said, and her tone made him look back up at her, 'the sire bond is gone.'

He groaned and pushed his face into her pillow. Elena laughed as his arms wrapped tight around her. He rolled them over until he was on top, gazing down at her face. His finger traced her lips. 'It still existed though.'

Elena sighed. She could see the fear in his eyes that he tried so desperately to hide. She could feel the tension in his body, the anticipation that something would go wrong. But she would not let anything ruin this. She flipped him over with a flick of her hips. She straddled him, placing her hands on his chest and holding him in place. His eyes widened, his unwavering desire for her burning within them.

'I know what you're scared of Damon,' she said, 'you're scared that without the bond I would never have loved you.'

'Well,' Damon tried to laugh but he looked like he was in pain more than anything else, 'as adverse as I am to talking about my brother while we are in bed together...the last human choice you made was...'

'Stefan. It was Stefan.' Elena rolled her eyes, 'you can be such an idiot sometimes you know. Only one thing has truly changed about me since I became a vampire. One thing.' Damon shrugged, still pretending to be nonchalant. He was a stubborn idiot. 'I stopped being afraid. I have strength to protect myself. I have an eternity to live. Why let fear hold me back? I chose Stefan because it was safe and that was what I needed. I don't need that now.'

'But...'

Elena placed a finger over his lips and leaned towards him. 'I have been falling in love with you since you kissed my hand, Damon.' She replaced her finger with her lips, but still he was rigid with tension. 'I've been falling in love with you since we got drunk in Atlanta,' she kissed his chin and he moaned, 'since we first danced, 'she kissed his neck and his hands moved to her waist. She placed her lips beside his ear. 'I've been falling in love with you every step of the way.'

With those words, all the tension left his body. He gripped her face and pulled it down to meet his. He kissed her hard and deep. Elena felt heat rush through her. She dug her fingers into his hair and clung to him as she pushed her tongue into his mouth. She heard him groan and felt him stir beneath her. She ran her hand down his chest and over his abs. She felt him smile against her mouth. She wrapped her hand around him and he pulled his face back, pressing his forehead against hers.

'I love you too,' he whispered and then his breath hitched as her hand started to move.

'ELENA?'

Damon swore and flopped back down onto the bed. Elena glanced towards the door, but she could not be annoyed at the sound of her brother's voice. He was alive. She could only smile. Besides, she would have an eternity of mornings to spend in bed with Damon. She looked back at him and laughed at his furious expression.

He reached for her again, 'Ignore him.'

But Elena wriggled out of his grasp and hopped off the bed. She grabbed her dressing gown off the floor and shook her head. 'It's time to get up,' she said.

Damon grabbed the pillow and held it over his face. 'No,' was his muffled reply.

Elena fixed the tie on her dressing gown and wrenched the pillow away from him. She pouted and said. 'For me?'

He made a face, he rolled his eyes, but sure enough he started to rise. Elena could not stop herself from gripping his jaw and kissing him again. His arms snaked around her and then they were back on the bed, tangled in the sheets and his hand was pulling the tie of her dressing gown loose again.

'ELENA?'

This time it was Elena that swore and Damon that laughed. She had to shove Damon away from her to get herself off of that bed. She padded across the room without looking back, knowing it was the only way she would ever leave. She heard him pulling on some sweat pants and she knew that he would follow.

'There you are,' Jeremy said as she hopped down the stairs and stepped into the kitchen. Elena paused and then she burst out laughing, turning to look at Damon's face with building anticipation.

He was scratching the back of his head as he appeared. He looked up once, then away, then back again. He gaped. He stared and then his brow lowered.

'What the hell are you doing?'

Jeremy looked up at him, his expression all innocence. He froze beside the fridge door; the fridge which had been all but emptied onto the counter beside it.

Jeremy shrugged, 'Breakfast?'

Damon rolled his eyes. He snatched the egg carton out of Jeremy's hands and muttered, 'you truly are the bane of my existence. Go away, both of you.'

Elena beamed. She watched him frown at the mess before him. He started packing things away again, all the while muttering to himself. Jeremy paid him no extra attention. He dropped himself onto the couch and stretched, yawning wide. Elena pulled her eyes off of Damon and followed, sitting on the couch opposite. Her eyes swept over him, checking that he was truly still with her, that he wasn't fading away. He looked like her little brother. There was light in his eyes and colour in his cheeks. She had to hold herself back from throwing herself at him and never letting go.

'How are you feeling?'

'Good,' he nodded, 'really good. I'd love a game on my Xbox but we can't have everything can we?'

'Oh shut up,' Elena laughed.

'Maybe you can compel somebody to give me a new one.'

'Maybe.' The smell of bacon started to waft towards them and Elena sank back into the couch, smiling as her brother stretched out and made himself at home. 'Hey,' she said, 'I was thinking we could get away for a few days. The three of us.'

'I refuse to babysit,' Damon announced over the hiss of the frying pan.

Elena ignored him. 'So much has happened, but it's the summer and we should enjoy it. We deserve some fun. We could go to the lake house?'

Jeremy shrugged. 'Yeah, sounds good.' He smiled to himself and laughed, 'anything sounds good, I'm alive.'

Elena let out a happy sigh. 'Matt and Caroline are heading out of town, but we could invite Bonnie along,' she smirked, 'if you want?'

'Oh great,' Damon drawled.

Jeremy ducked his head. Elena's smirk widened, he must have been embarrassed.

'Err...yeah,' he cleared his throat. 'I'll give her a call later.'

Elena clapped her hands together. She jumped to her feet and practically skipped over to the kitchen, where Damon's back was turned to her as he toiled at the stove. She curled her arms around him and kissed his back.

'You'll love it.'

'Nope.'

She moved her hands down to rest on the front of his sweat pants and whispered. 'You will.'

Damon abandoned the bacon and spun around, hooking her beneath the arms and sitting her on top of the counter. 'You can be quite persuasive, you know?' She giggled as he kissed her again and again.

'Hey,' Jeremy called, 'hey, I'm not coming if there is any of that.'

'It's the price you'll have to pay, little Gilbert, if you want to live in my house.'

'Elena,' Jeremy whined, 'tell him he's not allowed to kick me out. Or boss me around. Or complain.'

'Sorry, Jer,' she managed when Damon's mouth eventually moved away from hers, 'busy.'

'But the bacon is burning,' he whined.

Damon nuzzled into her neck. 'Too bad.'


	3. Chapter 2 - The Lake House

'This is awesome.'

Elena snorted. She looked at Jeremy through the rear view mirror. He was cradling his new Xbox on his lap, staring down at it with wonder. He looked like a giant crammed into the back of Damon's Camaro but his expression was more akin to that of a five year old.

'I don't know why we paid for it,' Damon grumbled. His eyes were on the road, one arm draped lazily over the steering wheel.

Elena raised an eyebrow. 'People need to make a living Damon. We can't just steal.'

'Oh, of course,' Damon gasped. 'We can feed, we can kill, we can wipe people's minds but no way can we steal. Nope.'

Elena shot him a look.

He glanced at her and shrugged, 'Non humanity Elena would have just compelled them to give it to us for free.'

'Non humanity Elena would also steal your car and go on holiday alone.'

'Seriously?' said Jeremy, leaning forwards so that his head was between them, 'you're arguing already?'

Damon shoved his hand into Jeremy's face. 'Put your seat belt on, kid.' Jeremy mumbled something highly offensive but Damon ignored him. 'And we're not arguing...we're engaging in healthy debate.'

'Arguing is probably a simpler way to put it,' Elena mused.

'Elena, I'm trying to make our relationship look a little less dysfunctional here.'

'Dysfunctional?'

'Combative'

'You think we're dysfunctional? We've been together one day.'

'Technically, we were together a couple of days when you were sired.'

'You keep insisting that sired me doesn't count.'

Damon opened his mouth to retort but Jeremy snuck in first. He sounded bored.

'You two are definitely dysfunctional.'

Damon and Elena both snapped their mouths shut. Elena bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. They turned off the main road and onto a dirt track, shadowed by trees on both sides. The car jolted over the uneven ground and Elena glanced at Damon, knowing that he would be grimacing at the sound of stones skipping off the armour of his precious car. His eyes glided across to hers for a moment and she saw a ghost of a smile on his lips. Dysfunctional _was_ the wrong word. They worked together. They were two sides of the same coin. But it would certainly be a bumpy ride, Elena had no doubt about that. She reached across and gave his leg a light squeeze. She did not care. She would continue to love him even in those moments when his obstinacy might make her imagine that she hated him. She had not been able to stop herself from loving him even at his worst. Why would that ever change?

It was not long before they could see the lake house looming through the trees and for a moment Elena's mood turned sombre. She was not sad. She was happy that this place full of memories still remained, for she had burned everything else to ash. But it would never be easy to return to a place that spoke of her past. As the Camaro rolled to a stop beside the pier Elena looked back over her shoulder. Jeremy smiled his understanding. By some miracle they still had each other, that was enough.

'Come on then,' Damon opened his door, 'the quicker we start this torture, the quicker it will end.'

Elena rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the car. 'You'd think you might be happy to spend some time with me.'

'Don't start again,' Jeremy sighed.

Damon and Elena's eyes met over the roof of the car. His lips quirked into a smile. He never liked to admit that he was happy. She supposed he was not used to it. She followed him to the boot of the car. He tossed a bag at Jeremy, who almost dropped his Xbox as he scrambled to catch it.

'Hey,' Jeremy frowned at Damon.

Damon wagged a finger. 'You need to work on those reflexes young man.'

'Shut up,' Elena laughed as she retrieved her bag and made her way towards the front door. She led the boys inside and she froze, feeling a surge of familiarity wash over her. Jeremy bundled past, making a beeline straight for the TV, but Damon stopped beside her and touched her elbow.

'You okay?'

She leant back against him. There was that moment's hesitation, as though every time she touched him he had to remind himself that it was real, then he hugged her close and rested his chin on her hair.

'Last time we were here, you wouldn't kiss me under the mistletoe.'

She felt his chest rumble as he laughed. '_That's_ what you are thinking of?'

She shrugged, 'I'm thinking of lots of things,' she looked up at him and pouted, 'but that's my main concern, yes.'

He shook his head, still laughing. His hands on her waist turned her to face him, then he lifted her hands and clasped them between his own. She sank into his gaze as his lips brushed her knuckles.

'Well then, I promise to kiss you whenever you wish it this time around.'

'Whenever?'

He nodded. 'Whenever.'

'So now?' Elena's smile widened.

He pressed his lips to hers.

'Hmm,' she sighed as he pulled away. 'How about now?'

He kissed her again but this time beside her ear. 'You're insatiable,' he whispered.

'Please, _please_ get a room.'

Damon huffed. He looked up towards Jeremy and held his arms out in exasperation. '_This_ is why baby brothers aren't invited.'

Elena punched him lightly on the chest. 'I need to start making dinner anyway.'

As she expected, Damon looked concerned immediately. 'I hope you're not making chilli.'

She tapped her nose and twirled away from him, delighting in the struggle going on behind his eyes. She felt so alive around him, so beautiful and so strong. Just one look was enough to empower her. She dumped her bag on the kitchen counter and started to pull out the ingredients that she had stolen from the Salvatore kitchen. She could feel Damon's eyes on her.

'Want some help?'

'You made breakfast. Go away,' she said, without turning. His house husband tendencies never failed to amuse her. He was the greatest badass that she knew, with a raft of emotional issues, but if you overcooked dinner or misplaced a lamp, you were in for it.

'Hey, Damon.'

Elena looked over her shoulder to the living area and she felt her heart swell in her chest. Jeremy was sitting on his sofa with his back to them. His Xbox had already powered up and Call of Duty was ready to play, but he had set it up to play two player. He was holding up a controller in invitation. Elena's smile stretched so wide it hurt. She pretended to concentrate on preparing the food before her but she looked at Damon out of the corner of her eyes. He hesitated. Then she saw him smile, a grin really. He masked it quickly, before he started towards the sofa.

'Prepare to lose, Jer,' Damon said with entirely forced gruffness as he sat down next to Elena's brother.

Jeremy snorted. 'Of course I'll lose the simple fact that you are a vampire means that you cheat.'

'You're just a sore loser.'

'Yeah, well…'

Elena sighed. She was all for Damon and Jeremy bonding, but she feared she might have just created a monster. She started to chop up some onions as the lake house erupted with the sound of machine guns and her brother and lover swearing obscenities at one another.

She needed nothing else.


	4. Chapter 3 - The Old Romantic

Elena drained the last drops of wine and closed her eyes as she lounged along the sofa. The constant buzz of Call of Duty could not irritate her today. Whenever she felt the urge to beg her brother to turn it off she would open her eyes, see his face and smile again without saying a word. He could have been doing cartwheels around her head whilst doing an impression of a seagull and she would not have batted an eyelid. Whatever made him happy made her happy.

Her eyes drifted to the glass doors and the pier beyond. It was dark outside. The moonlight reflecting off the water was all that illuminated the night. She placed her glass down and sat up, pushing a hand through her hair.

'Where did Damon go?'

Jeremy's gaze remained fixed on the screen. His shrug was his only response.

Even _that_ made Elena smile. She got to her feet and padded across to him. 'Goodnight, Jeremy,' she said, kissing the top of his head.

'Yeah…night,' he mumbled, '_oh come on, I shot him in the head_.'

Elena rolled her eyes. She stretched as she walked across to the stairs and hopped up them. Her old bedroom door was slightly ajar and she could see shadows flickering on the floor.

'Damon?'

When she pushed open the door she smiled. The room was exactly how she remembered it, except for the candles. They were dotted around all over the place, all different sizes and colours. The soft scent of vanilla floated towards her and she drank it in. She felt him behind her just as his hands rested on her hips. He kissed her shoulder and she lifted a hand to his cheek. He turned his face to kiss her palm.

'I thought we deserved some time alone without the kid.'

Elena laughed and turned in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck. 'The kid?'

'The brat, the hindrance, the child, the creature…whichever you'd rather.'

'That's my brother you're talking about.'

'And I'm going to stop talking about him as of now, because…' he cupped her face with his hands. His eyes were dark with desire. 'Now is about you and me.'

'Good thing I prepared for the occasion,' Elena whispered as she untied her dressing gown and let it slip to the floor. Damon's gaze traced fire over every inch of her skin as he gazed at her. She assumed that he would appreciate red lace. From the expression on his face she had assumed correctly.

He pressed his forehead against hers. 'You know, I loved you even when I didn't want to love you. So I'd like you to think about that while you appreciate just how much I love you right now.'

'I appreciate it…' Elena mumbled before she swallowed his mouth with her own. They stood very still as they kissed, their lips probing and soft. Their bodies melded together. Elena knew she would never grow sick of kissing him but it was her that pulled back first.

Her fingers brushed the hair on the back of his neck as she gazed up at him. 'There was something else I had prepared for tonight.'

He said nothing and leaned in to kiss her some more.

She dodged his mouth, bringing her own to his neck. 'I want this,' she breathed, and then she sank her fangs into his neck. She felt his whole body stiffen. She felt his sigh brush against her hair. She dug her fingers into his back as she drank his blood and her whole body was infused with him. She felt her head grow light. She felt something building inside her. They swayed on the spot and then Damon's lips were on her neck.

'_Elena_…'

She arched back. She let his thumb stroke her cheek as she licked his blood off of her fangs. 'Damon…please…'

The lust overwhelmed him. He pushed her head back and then his fangs sank into her skin. She had never felt such pleasure. Every nerve in her body was on fire. They stumbled backwards and Elena hardly knew where she was. She moaned as Damon lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him, pressing against the hardness between her thighs. She reached a hand down to grip him and he growled against her neck, flinging her onto the bed and pressing himself down on top of her. He pushed her hand away and he kissed the spot where he had drank from her.

'Tonight is about you…'

He started to kiss her again, this time his touch was as light as a feather but with his blood in her veins every breath of his against her skin had her writhing with longing. He traced kisses between her breasts, then down her tummy. His fingers tugged on the lace of her knickers and he peeled them off. Then he kissed her between her thighs and Elena could not stand it anymore. She gripped his head and pressed him against her. She felt his laughter right before she felt his lips.

Elena did not make a sound but her back arched, her lips parted and her eyes rolled back into her head. His sucked on her, his tongue flicked against her and Elena knew nothing but pleasure. She bucked beneath him, pressing him down harder and deeper. His hands gripped her hips and he rocked with her, his hot breath enveloping her as it built and built.

Then Elena's whole body tensed. She groaned as Damon's tongue drove into her and then she could see nothing but light and she could feel nothing but joy. She felt like she was floating even as her body sank back onto the sheets, soft and satisfied. She panted as she felt Damon rise over her. She did not need to breathe but she could not stop her chest heaving. Her skin still tingled. His blood inside of her raced through her veins and she knew he felt it too. He unclipped her bra and he pressed his lips to her breast. The bolt of pleasure brought the feeling back to her limbs and she flipped him over, thrusting her tongue into his mouth. She hungered for him. She grasped him and she moved her hand, pulling at him with her fingers. He groaned and she positioned herself above him, holding off until he opened his eyes and looked into hers.

'I have never…' Elena gasped, 'been happier than I am now.'

Damon did not have to say anything. She knew she was his everything.

She lowered herself onto him with a moan and Damon's hands gripped the sheets beneath them as he sucked in a breath.


End file.
